rule of law

Image:A Sri Lankan policeman keeps watch at a demonstration in the capital, Colombo, on August 14, 2014.   © 2014 Getty Images  C/O HRW. Reprimanding several CID officials, Colombo Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake today repeatedly emphasized that the CID’s behavior in arresting and producing suspect Udayanga Weeratunga over the alleged MIG 27 deal was unusual and […]

Image: The 19th Amendment had nothing to do with the removal of an IGP. The escalating clash of words (hopefully, not arms) between the Attorney General (AG) and the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the failure to ‘immediately’ file charges against an interdicted High Court judge on the basis of allegedly attempting to […]

Image: SSP Shani Abeysekara. Former Director of the CID, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shani Abeysekara has lodged a complaint today (28) claiming that he had received death threats from someone over the phone. SSP Shani Abeysekara was suspended a few weeks ago for allegedly having a conversation with MP Ranjan Ramanayake over a court […]

Image: Maithripala Sirisena and his SLFP rump might get crushed in the internal clash over candidate selection. The government might be called two-faced, not in the literal sense of being insincere, but based on two different streams of actions that are flowing from it. Neither stream is insincere, but one is objectively at odds with […]

“If we lift the hideous rags of History, we find this: hierarchy versus equality and order versus liberty.” – Éric Vuillard (The Order Of The Day) The indications are clear, as are the implications. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, elected on a Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist platform intends to rule as a Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist president. For the first time in […]

Hand wringing by Government politicians over leaked tape recordings of phone conversations between prosecutors, judicial officers and a United National Party politician known more for his brawn than his brain, (this worthy’s cerebral power appears to be even less than commonly perceived), is hypocritical in the extreme. Historic undermining of the judicial institution Even as […]

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a high-powered Presidential Commissions of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate allegations of political victimization as well as interference and undue influence on the judiciary and police during the past regime. The Commission comprising retired Supreme Court Justice Upaly Abeyrathne (chairman), retired Appeal Court Justice Daya Chandrasiri Jayathilaka and retired IGP Chandra […]

A special Police team  conducted a search operation at UNP Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayaka’s residence at Madiwela. They had obtained a warrant obtained from Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court. UNP Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake has been arrested by the police over possession of a pistol without a valid license reports Daily Mirror. Ramanayaka  tweed  11,30 AM Sri Lanka time […]

MP Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa’s gazetted 22nd Amendment Bill (Private Member’s Bill) effectively seeks to: a) Allow the President to decide whom to appoint as CJ, Supreme & Appeal Ct judges, JSC members, Attorney General, Auditor General, IGP, Ombudsman & Secy General of P’ment; b) Require the President to merely ‘ascertain the views’ of the following, before […]

Image: British teenager arriving in Court. On 25 November 2019, Gania Banister Francis, a Tamil employee of the Swiss Embassy (aged 38) alleged that she was kidnapped by the Sri Lankan Police. She has said she was treated brutally and subjected to coercion and sexual harassment. She added that the Police asked her for sensitive […]

Image: Swiss embassy staffer, in pink shawl, being escorted to a court in Colombo.   | Photo Credit: AP . Meera Srinivasan. Sri Lanka’s reputation as a constitutional state at stake: Bern. Sri Lanka police on Monday arrested a local employee of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo, who has been at the centre of a diplomatic controversy, […]

Press release, 16.12.2019. An employee of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo has today been detained on the grounds that she allegedly made false statements. The FDFA (Federal Department Foreign Affairs) of  is concerned about this development and calls on the Sri Lankan judicial authorities to ensure better protection of its employee’s personal rights in any […]

This National Policy Framework (NPF) of the government constitutes of 10 key policies aimed at achieving the fourfold outcome of a productive citizenry, a contented family, a disciplined and just society and a prosperous nation. There is no mention of strengthening democratic governance, reconciliation  or human rights in the 10 point programme. Bring to justice […]

Image; Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma. Colombo Magistrate Lanka Jayarathne has asked the Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of the victim of the Swiss Embassy case, to provide the CID with material where he was verbally attacked for appearing for her. Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma, who appeared on behalf of the victim, Ganiya Banister Francis, complained that he […]

Image: Ajith Prasanna, a retired Army officer now practising as a lawyer, has specifically named Colombo Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne, Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake, Udesh Ranathunga and the Mt Lavinia magistrate Lochana Abeywickrema as being politically influenced. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is condemning “statements made with reference to concluded cases, pending litigation, the […]

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayarathne yesterday extended the travel ban imposed on Swiss Embassy employee Garliar Barister Francis, who was allegedly threatened and kidnapped by a group of unidentified men, from leaving the country till December 12. When the case was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the Magistrate also issued an order […]

The Free Media Movement strongly condemns the continuous threats, harassment and violence the journalists have been subjected over the past few days due to their profession. The latest addition to this sequence of events is the assault targeting the Aluthgama provincial journalist Thusitha Kumara de Silva and his wife. According to him, the STF has […]

A Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry (SPCoI), which has the power to recommend punishment, is to be established shortly to investigate those government officials who conducted investigations into the conduct of other public officials for Rajapaksa era crimes and corruptions during the last government. Information and Communication Technology State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena has told […]

Image: First executive president of Sri Lanka J.R. Jyawardena too transferred senior CID officers for political reasons. I write this piece in great sadness. But I must because if I do not, I feel I would failing in my duty as an former policeman. Independence of the Police I am sad for the independence of […]

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has called for a thorough and impartial investigation in to the reported abduction of a Swiss embassy employee to find out information on Sri Lankans who have sought protection through the embassy. The letter sent to acting IGP follows:

Image: The employee had been abducted on Monday and allegedly questioned about a police officer who reportedly sought Swiss asylum [File: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP] On 25 November 2019, a serious security incident involving a local employee of the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo occurred. The employee was detained against their will in the street, forced to […]

Author’s note: On the invitation of the Editor, I’ve written to the Sunday Island newspaper every week since late 2015. Not a single column since then was rejected or even significantly edited, until this one. As I noted on Twitter, the Editor citing “orders from above” said that my column would not be published. This isn’t the first time content […]

13 November 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) are deeply concerned with recent developments that may impact the Presidential Election due on 16th November. These stem from recent media reports that highlight to several anomalies with the affidavit submitted by Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, candidate of […]

Many of us were hoping for a new dawn in 2015. The hope for a ‘Yahapalanaya’ Government now leaves ashes in the mouth of many people. It is true they brought us back our freedom and strengthened independent institutions but they failed fundamentally in convincing people that democracy and freedom should be the pillars of […]

Raj Gonsalkorale. Both candidates need to articulate their plans, and not mouth motherhood statements about taking the country to dizzy fairy-tale heights. Specifics are needed now, as Sri Lanka has an intelligent voter base who will understand such an economic recovery plan. The Presidency is the symbol of the country, and whoever who wins must […]

Image: The police had been present during the entire incident and did nothing to prevent Gnanasara Thera from violating the court order, says the petitioner. Fresh contempt of court papers have been filed against controversial Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thera, over his actions in violation of an order by the Mullaitivu Magistrate’s […]

We, the undersigned concerned about democracy, justice and rule of law in Sri Lanka, are alarmed at the threats made against two senior civil society activists for filing an application in the Court of Appeal (CA) challenging the validity of the dual citisenship declaration belonging to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Presidential aspirant and former Secretary, Ministry of […]

File photo: Sri Lanka Muslims in Kathankudy, Eastern province. © Sunanda Deshapriya ” Positive action by BASL in this regard would have sent a salutary message and reassured the public, especially the aggrieved parties, that they have the benefit of legal representation in keeping with the highest professional standards. This is particularly so at a time […]

The case filed before the Court of Appeal challenging the Sri Lankan citizenship of SLPP presidential nominee Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Prof. Chandragupta Thenuwara and senior journalist Gamini Viyangoda will be taken up before the three-member Special High Court on October 02, 2019, which is today. The petition’s content collectively simplified is mentioned below; 1. One […]

Full text of the petition filed by two Civil society activists, Gamini Viyangoda and Prof. Chandragupta Thenuwara, who are asking the Courts to quash the Dual Citizenship Certificate and NIC issued to Gotabaya as there is no file pertaining to these matters in the Department of Immigration or the Defense Ministry.